Duke Aurelian and his companions could hardly believe what they had just heard. The ingredients sent by the Empress granted an increase of 30 MP and HP to anyone who consumed them. Legion had been retrieving these supplies from the Empress Palace in batches, and each time, the non-fighters of the expedition received the boost.
They would have dismissed it as an absurd claim, after all, even the blessings of priests, priestesses, and the Saintess herself could only alleviate fatigue at best. A direct increase in MP and HP was unheard of. Yet, they had no choice but to believe it, especially after tasting the 'coffee' and the simple broth that the women volunteers had prepared.
And it wasn't just the stat boost that was astonishing. The coffee, though bitter at first, provided a natural surge of energy once accustomed to its taste, far superior to any blessing given by the Holy Church. The broth, despite having no meat, was the most flavorful dish they had ever tasted.
"Why didn't you give this to the knights?!" Baron Aldric burst out in outrage, his face turning red. "You wasted such precious food on these useless commoners!"
A 30-point boost in MP and HP was a massive advantage. A noble knight would have to train relentlessly for half a year just to gain an increase of 10 MP. Yet these adventurers were just giving it away.
"Because that was the Empress's order," Legion answered curtly.
"Who cares what that woman said?" Sir Draven scoffed. "She prioritizes worthless commoners over the knights of the kingdom? Does she not realize that we are the ones protecting the people? The knights should be the priority!"
"Maybe the Empress does not see you protecting the people," Legion retorted, his voice cold and sharp. "Especially when many knights earlier used the non-fighters as shields against the monsters."
"How dare you..."
"I dare!" Legion's voice cut through Sir Draven's outrage like a blade. His patience was gone. "The Empress, whom I serve, ordered me to ensure that the non-fighters are fed. And that is exactly what I have done and will continue to do. I don't care if the nobles see us commoners as worthless. I do not serve you. I serve the Empress. And whatever she commands, I will follow. Until she personally orders me to provide food for the knights, the non-fighters will receive them."
"Celestial Knight," a sweet, melodic voice interrupted as Saintess Xul stepped between them, her warm smile directed at Legion. "We know the Empress means well. But you must understand, an MP and HP boost would be incredibly beneficial to the knights on the frontlines. Since they are the first to fight against the monsters in case of an attack, wouldn't it be more useful for them to receive this blessing?"
As she spoke, her soft smile remained, her words laced with an unseen power, Charmed Conviction.
It was an ability that only she knew she possessed. Whenever she spoke with a smile, her words became irresistibly persuasive. The listener would interpret her statements positively and be inclined to believe them, even if they were false. The warmth of her charm clouded doubt, making even the most questionable arguments feel reasonable and appealing.
She had used this ability countless times on nobles, the Holy Church, and even royalty.
While it did not allow her to control minds directly, it always helped her get what she wanted.
She watched Legion carefully, waiting for him to relent.
But instead, he met her gaze head-on, unyielding.
A strange irritation settled in his chest. He couldn't explain it, but something about the Saintess, her presence, her words, rubbed him the wrong way.
"I'm sorry, Your Holiness," Legion said, his voice steady, unimpressed. "But I don't care what is useful for you, the nobles, or anyone else. I follow the Empress's orders. If you have a problem with that, then speak to her directly. But don't expect me to teleport you to her now or anytime soon."
His expression darkened as he continued, "She is unwell. And trust me, if you insist on pushing what you want while she is in this condition, you will only regret meeting her."
For the first time, the Saintess's smile faltered. This was the first time someone had resisted her.
Her Charm Conviction, which had always worked on others, even the most powerful figures in the kingdom, had no effect on the Celestial Knight.
Just how powerful was a Celestial Knight?
"You are not seeing reason here," Celion said, his frustration evident.
"I do not care if you think I am seeing reason or not. I have my orders," Legion replied coldly, unmoved by the argument.
As the heated exchange between Legion and the noble knights continued, the commoners outside the tent could hear every word.
With each passing moment, their buried resentment toward the nobles resurfaced. They had always been treated as nothing more than disposable tools, bodies to be thrown at monsters, shields to be used and discarded.
But now, for the first time, they had someone standing up for them.
The Empress.
They knew she had no real power in court, that she was only an Empress by title. Yet, despite that, she thought of them. She prioritized them. She fought for them in a way no one else ever had.
Gratitude swelled in their hearts, a gratitude mixed with admiration and an unspoken vow.
If they survived this expedition, they would go to the Empress Palace. They would kneel before her. They would swear their loyalty to the one ruler who had never abandoned them.
"That's enough," Duke Aurelian finally spoke, cutting through the tense debate.
"But, Your Majesty, " Count Revan began, but Aurelian silenced him with a sharp look.
"The Celestial Knight will not change his mind because he cannot change his mind. Defying the Empress's will puts his life in danger because of the oath he has sworn to her," Aurelian stated matter-of-factly. "So let's compromise."
Legion met Aurelian's gaze, his expression unreadable.
"I request half of the Empress's supply, and in exchange, we will double the food supply for your team and the non-fighters. Surely, the ingredients can be mixed?" Aurelian's voice was calm, but the subtle weight behind his words made it clear that Legion should choose his response carefully.
Legion clenched his jaw, hating the situation he was in. He was a sworn knight of the Empress, but this was the future Emperor speaking.
There was no way out of this.
He exhaled sharply. "I will be back."
And before anyone could respond, he vanished.
He had teleported.
Even though the nobles had seen him do it in battle, watching him disappear in real time, effortlessly, instantly, was still an unsettling sight.
"We need him in the frontline, Your Majesty," Saintess Xul said softly.
With the plan to capture the Holy Beast already in motion, they couldn't afford to waste a valuable asset like Legion.
Since he was loyal to the Empress and could not defy her, Aurelian made his decision. He would use that very loyalty against him.
Moments later, Legion returned, standing exactly where he had been before.
"The Empress has agreed," he stated firmly. "As long as you double the food supply for the non-fighters..."
"I changed my mind," Aurelian interrupted.
Legion's eyes narrowed, and even the other nobles looked at the Duke in surprise.
"I will quadruple the food supply for the non-fighters," Aurelian declared. "But on two conditions."
"First, we take half of the Empress's supply.
"Second, " His violet eyes locked onto Legion's.
"The Celestial Knight will join the frontlines."
Legion frowned at the Duke's demand.
"You need to understand something first, Your Majesty," he said evenly. "This will be the last batch of supply that the Empress will personally prepare. While there will still be future provisions from her, there will no longer be an Empress's Blessing on them. That means you will not gain any further stat boosts from the next supply. Since you've already received the 30 MP and HP increase, no matter how many sacks of ingredients from the Empress you mix into your food supply, you will no longer receive any additional boosts.
"However, " Legion continued, his voice firm, "the Empress did mention that mixing the remaining ingredients into other food would still allow those who haven't consumed them yet to receive the stat increase."
Aurelian absorbed this information, nodding. It wasn't ideal, but it was still a powerful advantage. If they could ensure that every knight and fighter in the frontline consumed the Empress's provisions at least once, they could significantly improve their chances of capturing the Holy Beast.
"I understand," Aurelian said. His mind was already calculating the best way to distribute the food strategically.
"Then I will agree," Legion said. "But I have one request, Can I bring Mara with me?"
Aurelian raised a brow at the unexpected request. But after a brief moment, he merely nodded. He had no interest in questioning the Celestial Knight's motives. As long as Legion fought for the kingdom, he didn't care who he brought along.
However, Saintess Xul's expression darkened, just for a moment, before she quickly concealed it with her usual serene smile.
Mara, however, noticed it.
The sharp glint of hostility in the Saintess's eyes was unmistakable. She felt it, a quiet, dangerous resentment directed at her.
She instinctively lowered her head, gripping the hem of her coat.
Mara had wanted to tell Legion that she did not wish to come. She was a commoner, a non-fighter, she had no place in the frontline.
But she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Because she owed him her life.
Without Legion, she wouldn't have survived this long in the expedition. He had protected her from the moment they left Aquilonis.
She couldn't refuse him now.
And so, Legion and Mara bid a temporary farewell to Captain Hugo and his team before following Duke Aurelian and his knights toward the frontline.
Upon arrival, the Holy Knights assigned Legion his own personal tent. Though he was technically a commoner, the news of his Celestial Knight status had spread quickly among the Holy Knights, priests, and priestesses.
He was above them all in rank.
To see a Celestial Knight with their own eyes was considered a once-in-a-lifetime honor.
There had been no Celestial Knights for over a millennium.
Many of the Holy Knights had wanted to assign Mara to a separate tent with the priestesses, believing that she had no place staying with a man.
But Legion refused.
He knew exactly what would happen if Mara was placed with them. The disdain, the quiet cruelty, the sneering whispers, he had seen the way nobles and holy knights looked at commoners like her.
He was tasked by the Empress to keep her safe.
And Legion did not trust anyone else to do it.